If - that is the biggest word surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins’ upcoming season. In 2010-2011, the Penguins spent the majority of their season without star forwards Malkin and Crosby. If they can both return to their superstar status, the Penguins will be an extremely dangerous team this coming season. Dan Bylsma is one of the best coaches in the league and will continue to lead the team to perennial success
On the offensive side of the puck, the Pittsburgh Penguins are safe. As stated above, if Malkin and Crosby keep playing as they have been when healthy, the team should expect the goal horn to sound frequently. Even without Malkin and Crosby, the Penguins have shown that they can still succeed with their offensive depth. Jordan Staal is one of the most underrated players in the game. He may not be a sniper or a speed demon, but he works incredibly hard on every shift and is instrumental in shutting down the opposing team’s top line. Sullivan should be a valuable addition to the Pens’ lineup with his goal-scoring touch. I expect him to play with either Malkin or Crosby eventually. Neal has not lived up to my expectations, but I anticipate increased production from his previous 45-point campaign. Kunitz is a sparkplug who supplies consistent production, although most players would if they played with Crosby . Either way, he is an important piece to the Penguins’ lineup. Dupuis is back for at least one more season and is a valuable contributor for his salary. Kennedy has shown flashes of brilliance and I believe this will be the year he shines – maybe even eclipsing the 50-point mark. Adams and Asham will continue doing what they do best: bruising. But what I like about both of these players is that they completely understand their roles within the organization. On occasion they even go beyond their roles, chipping in points here and there. Letestu demonstrated he is ready for the big club. Unfortunately, being on one of the strongest teams down the middle, he is left with 4th-line minutes. And finally Mr. Cooke, what will we see from you this year? Hopefully a cleaner game. Although there is a sharp drop-off after the higher talent -Malkin and Crosby - the Penguins’ still have a nice offensive score.
Offensive Score: A-
The Penguins’ defensive troops both confuse and impress me. Last season, even without Crosby and Malkin, the Penguins still were able to succeed. While there were some players who stepped up on offense, most of the responsibility fell on the defenders. Other than Letang, the Penguins don’t possess any lethal offensive threats. However, there are a number of defensemen that pride themselves on their title: defense Orpik is the archetype of a defensive defenseman. His size forces opponents to the corners and his intelligence decreases scoring chances and turnovers. Michalek is a little overpaid for his 20 points and even plus/minus, but is stable at his position. Martin is another slightly overpaid defenseman; however his 16 PIMs last year indicate his strong discipline. This is compounded by the fact that he averages the 2nd most TOI after Letang. Lovejoy, Engelland and Niskanen round out the bottom three. Of these, Lovejoy appears to have the strongest game – not face.
Defensive Score: B+
The Penguins’ goaltending situation is quite sturdy with Fleury and Johnson. Fleury’s personality grew on me over the years as did his style of play. He has done a great job settling into his NHL role. Early in his career Fleury would often find himself out of position due to his aggressive nature. A few seasons have past and he has truly come into his own. Johnson will continue to be a stable backup goaltender that should see about 20-25 games. I’m actually surprised no team has given him another chance at a No. 1 position.
Goaltending Score: A-
Good team, right?
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